Francesco Ricci Bitti, President of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), has hailed the role of ‘Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award’ in the development of international sports.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Francesco Ricci Bitti, President of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), thanked ‘Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award’ for the role it plays in the development of international sports by supporting and honouring athletes and officials, as well as international federations that launch creative initiatives.

This came in a message sent by Bitti to the Award, in which he congratulated Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award on the success of their latest edition, which honoured its winners at a glittering ceremony in Expo 2020 Dubai on January 9.

Bitti was present at the ceremony in person and described the Award as “an excellent initiative of recognising the contribution of the International Federations to the sport development” in his letter.

The Award and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations are tied together by a common cause – to develop sports around the world – and they have been pooling their resources to meet these strategic aims. ASOIF supports the Award’s efforts in communicating with the International Summer Olympic federations and motivating them to create initiatives that contribute to the growth of sports around the world, and to provide opportunities for athletes to compete and develop their levels.

The ASOIF also encourages its member federations to participate in the Award and send in their nominations in the International Organisation Award category, which has seen many international federations being recognised for their innovative approach, most recently the International Handball Federation at the 11th edition of the Award.

The Lausanne-based Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) is a non-profit association of international sports federations that compete in the Summer Olympic Games, and its mission is to unite, promote and support Summer Olympic International Federations (IFs); to preserve their autonomy, while coordinating their common interests and goals; and to act as an added value provider to member federations and the Olympic movement at large.

The ASOIF came into being on May 30, 1983, when 21 International Federations governing the sports included at the time on the programme of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games decided to come together and form ASOIF. The members of ASOIF have since grown to 28 International Federations and four Associate Member International Federations.